More than Just Friends
by Wynter-Solstice
Summary: Severus and Lilly have always been just friends, best friends. But to stay close forever, will Severus have to tell her that he wishes they were a little more?  no bad stuff... just saying


**My first one-shot... co-incidentally with the first **_**series**_** I ever I read. I hope I wrote it okay. **

**Sorry to any James/Lilly fans. I am, and always will, prefer Severus. I took a bit from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Hope that doesn't count as plagiarizing... **

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><p>The cold winter's air somehow managed to ease its way into the Great Hall, dropping the temperature by several degrees. Briefly, fourteen-year-old Severus wondered why the headmaster didn't warm the atmosphere around, but perhaps, as was tradition, he was trying to get the students into the Christmas mood.<p>

The trees were already up, though it was a month before the actual day. The snow was expected at any time.

Severus sat at Slytherin table, next to his fellow house-mates: Avery and Mulciber. And as Dolohov had decided to turn in early that night, Lucius Malfoy had kindly taken the space... without an invitation.

Slytherin house was placed on one end of the hall, and Snape, as usual, had taken the seat, with his back to the wall, so that he could have a wide scope of vision at the other house tables.

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His unusually long, jet black hair fell into his eyes as he bent to shove a spoonful of pumpkin pie into his mouth. Savouring the sweet taste, he looked up only to see a flash of red in his peripheral vision.

_Why was she sitting there? _He wondered. She always sat directly parallel to him on the Gryffindor table so that they could, as was normal, communicate in their non-verbal way. He smiled. _Occlumency and Legilimency. _ Both had mastered that particular lesson years before their time.

It was not easy maintaining a friendship with someone in a house that was never at peace with the other. But Lilly was different than the other Gryffindors...

He spotted James Potter within a second, and Remus, Sirius and Peter soon after. He hated them more than it was possible to loathe something. Not that it was a one-way emotion. It was no secret that there was open hostility between both parties.

Lilly never ceased to amaze him though. Despite always being with them, she never showed him a cold shoulder. Perfect in all regards, he wished, for once, that he could be brave enough to tell her what he felt towards her. But... what would she say?

Especially now since she was avoiding him.

But why?

"Hey Snape," Avery said, poking him in the side, "Why're you staring at Gryffindor? At your _girlfriend...?"_

"Oooooh," the other chorused, watching Severus' reaction very carefully. He lacked the usual quality of hot-headedness that Slytherins possessed, and to see Snape get angry at anyone besides the Gryffindor boys, would seem for many, an early Christmas.

"Today might be that day" Severus thought, drawing his wand faster than anyone could have thought possible. "Say that again," he hissed, "And Gryffindor house will probably be the last thing _you'll_ see."

"Scary, Severus. Like you'd do _that_."

"Try me." And there was no smile on his face. How could they even mention that? It was their own stupid opinion, but nevertheless, the public truth of his secret emotions towards the red-headed girl was enough to drive him crazy. _Lilly should know from me, _he always knew.

Avery hesitated for a moment, and then let out a small laugh. Snape's magical prowess was well known on the Hogwarts campus. "You know I was just joking buddy. Right?"

"Sure," Snape replied but his deep black eyes translated another emotion.

Lilly had just turned around to look at him. She looked surprised to see him look at her, and she quickly turned away. A fleeting look of hurt crossed his face. Something was definitely wrong, and they needed to talk. The sooner, the better.

Suddenly, he saw Lilly excuse herself and stand, as though to leave. Snape reciprocated the action. This could be his chance to tell her the truth about what happened some nights before... maybe to tell her how he felt about her... Maybe not the latter.

He followed her out of the Hall, after making sure his friends were not focusing on him. That wasn't such a hard task, for the Half-Blood Prince. A simple food explosion in Lucius' face sent the Slytherin's rolling off the benches in laughter. It was their prefect after all. Even Severus had a small smirk on his face as he left the Hall... aware that his heart-beat was steadily getting faster.

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"Lilly?" he asked cautiously, peering around the corner. The corridor seem not to have been lit as yet, the only light supplied from the crescent moon, which hung in the courtyard as though coldly speculating Snape's every move.

Lilly was leaning against the pillar, staring at the moon.

"I wanted to talk to you," Snape said softly. Lilly had not acknowledged his presence yet.

"I know," she replied, turning around, moving away from the post, "You think really loudly."

"So you know what I was thinking?"

She shook her head. "I only read you when we made eye contact."

"Oh."

"I want to go bed soon... So can you hurry this up?"

"Are you mad with me?"

She hesitated. "I... I don't like how you're changing, Sev. People say I should stay away."

"You mean Potter." His tone changed.

She said nothing, but her silence transmitted a lot.

"Why? I thought we were supposed to be friends?" Snape was saying. "Best friends?"

"We _are, _Sev, but I don't like some of the people you're hanging round with! I'm sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! _Mulciber!_ What do you see in him, Sev, he's creepy! D'you know what he tried to do to Mary Macdonald the other day?"

Lilly had reached another pillar and leaned against it, looking up into his thin, sallow face.

"That was nothing," said Snape. "It was a laugh, that's all-"

"It was Dark magic and if you think that's funny-"

"What about the stuff Potter and his mates get up to?" demanded Snape. His colour rose again as he said it, unable, it seemed, to hold in his resentment.

"What's Potter got to do with anything?" said Lily.

"They sneak out at night. There's something weird about that Lupin. Where does he keep going?"

"He's ill," said Lilly. "They say he's ill-"

"Every month at the full moon?" said Snape.

"I know your theory," said Lilly, and she sounded cold. "Why are you so obsessed with them anyway? Why do you care what they're doing at night?"

"I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are."

The intensity of his gaze made her blush.

"They don't use Dark magic, though." She dropped her voice. "And you're being really ungrateful. I heard what happened the other night. You went sneaking down by that tunnel by the Whomping Willow, and James Potter saved you from whatever's down there-"

Snape's whole face contorted and he spluttered, "Saved? Saved? You think he was playing the hero? He was saving his neck and his friends' too! You're not going to- I won't let you-"

"_Let me? Let me?"_

Lily's bright green eyes were slits. Snape backtracked at once.

"I didn't mean... I just don't want to see you made a fool of... He fancies you, James Potter fancies you!" The words seemed wrenched from him against his will. "And he's not... everyone thinks... big Quidditch..." Snape's bitterness and dislike were rendering him incoherent, and Lily's eyebrows were travelling further and further up her forehead.

"I know James Potter is an arrogant toerag," she said, cutting across him, "And besides, why would anyone fancy me? I'm practically invisible."

"_Invisible?_ You?" Severus stared at her as though for the first time, "That's SO not true." Snape wondered if she was playing with him.

"Her cheeks turned a deep crimson as she continued. "I like someone already."

"The black-haired boy turned sickly pale. "You're joking."

"I would lie about liking someone?"

He looked away, barely managing to keep his tears from falling. This was worse... a lot worse, that whatever Avery and Mulciber did. "It's Lupin, isn't it?" he whispered.

Lilly said nothing, still staring at him as though the answer was the most obvious in the world. "Black?" he continued, "Pettigrew... Malfoy?"

"Stop, Sev. Now you're just being disgusting." She looked mortally affronted. "Do you really think I'd stoop so low?"

_Hopefully not, _he thought. "No," he said, "But then who is it? PLEASE TELL ME... I just want to find out more about them... you know, for your safety and stuff. And if they're not good enough for you, I'll let you know that too..."

"There's not much you could find out about yourself, you know."

Black met green, and so it stayed for a couple seconds... until Lilly's eyes started to water. She broke off first. "If you don't feel the same, I understand. You probably have an image to keep in Slytherin."

"No, Lilly. Stop," Snape said, walking around to drown himself in her eyes once again. _She loves me too! _He was screaming on the inside, _and not stupid Potter. _

"I meant to tell you this, years ago, but it never seemed like the right time. From the moment I saw you, and met you, and talked to you, I fell in love. Maybe it was stupid not to be the one to tell you first... but I was scared. There are SO many people who... who are just like me in a way, I suppose."

"But I knew you first, Sev. You're the one I want to talk to you when stuff gets hard at home; you're one of the few I'd trust with almost anything. I guess I'm in love with my best friend."

Snape reached out to hold her hand. "You're freezing," he noted.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does to me."

Lilly looked surprised. "Why do you suddenly turn romantic just because you told me how you felt?"

"Hard to explain. Try hiding a feeling for more than four years, only to reveal it to the person who it might mean the most to. My honesty practically wants to burst out right now."

She giggled. "Severus, one more thing. Can we keep this a secret?"

"Why?"

"I... I don't know. I just don't want anyone harassing us... and you know what James is like."

He bent his head. "Sure. Anything," he whispered.

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A dark cloud passed over the moon, shrouding the entire area with an impenetrable darkness... and cold. The stars seemed to one by one be flickering out. "_HE's _coming," Snape joked, as Lilly grabbed onto his hand, and refused to budge.

"You know I'm terrified of the dark," she hissed.

"Dear Lilly, it is only the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness," he quoted from their Transfiguration teacher.

"Just shut it," she said, clearly truly scared.

Snape felt her body heat, radiating into his own. Lilly's eyes glowed somehow despite the darkness, and she was slighting shivering. "If she was cold, why didn't she want to leave?" Snape wondered.

The words to a song suddenly came to mind... Not that he listened to much music, but the lyrics suddenly felt relevant.

_Something's changing deep inside_

_All my hopes are comin' alive_

_As we're fading into the night_

_I can see your eyes_

She put her hands around the boy, as though trying to steal some of his warmth. "If you want..." she whispered, her voice sounding like the wind.

He reciprocated the action, drawing her small body close to his. "Ummm... Lilly, could you move your wand? It's stabbing into my stomach."

A small smile played on her lips as she moved it to her back pocket, without breaking the embrace.

Now comfortable, Snape rested his cold cheek against hers, running his pale fingers through her red hair. His heart no longer seemed to want to conform to his emotions... This moment called for calm and comfortable breathing... His heart was beating as though he were running a marathon.

But Lilly didn't seem to mind. And he wanted to try one desperate move.

The girl seemed to be trapped in some sort of trance... but Snape knew that Lilly was watching his every move. He moved closer towards her, resting his hand against her hair, wipes the loose strands of hair away.

"Should we do this?" he asked, suddenly unsure of himself.

"Doesn't everyone?"

Her answer gave him the push he needed. All questions in his head suddenly got put under a Disillusion Charm, and his lips met Lilly's.

After everything he had felt towards her, everything he had hidden, and fought for, this was what it led up to.

And it was all he expected... and more. Her lips were soft, and warm, unlike her hands. She seemed comfortable with him, and he did with her.

After five seconds, they drew apart. "That was..." Lilly began.

"Perfect," Snape finished and Lilly nodded.

"Severus, promise me something..."

"What?"

"Don't ever leave my side. We're best friends, and we should stay that way..."

"Especially after that," Snape asked, a smirk over his face.

"_Especially after that._" Lilly agreed. "And don't forget I love you."

_I'd like to see how I'd could forget something like that, _he thought. His smile gave Lilly the comfort she needed.

It was eleven past eleven, according to the clock tower.

"We should get to bed... Before Filch catches us," Lilly said.

"Yep," the latter agreed, "G'night."

"Night, Sev. See you in Transfiguration tomorrow."

She left. Snape watched her go, sorry that it had to be so soon. He looked back up at the moon... now revealed since the cloud had passed, and briefly... for a second that could be considered inconsequential, he saw a flash of brown in a class window.

It was a fact that scared him, though he knew he had done nothing wrong. . . But Professor Dumbledore was probably the last person he wanted to know his personal affairs.

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><p><strong>Thinking about it, I feel I may need to write an epilogue... not so sure though. <strong>


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